National Republican., 1887-02-28
Counting Inuuiry.


Senate.
Mr.. President, It is not my wish to detain
the Senate at this late hour, but desire to
offer an amendment and to precede that amend.
ment by few remarks.
want the investigation TO be so thorough
that II afterward Congress should think it wise
to legislate they may do so with the greatest
possible intelligence on the 'ubjeot.
Preceding any remarks that l may make,
desire to read something in regard to report
That was made in reply to Senate resolution
on March G, 1884, in which IT is stated in an.
swer to intenogatories:
First. The Central Pacific Railroad Com.
pary has fully and promptly complied with
the requirements of said act.
That was In 1854, in answer to a Senate reso-
luton. Later Aug. 6, 1885, this Is the answer
from the commissioner of railroads:
SIR: In reply to your communication of even
date, requesting to be informed whether the
Central Pacific Railroad Company has COM
piled with the requirements OF the act of May
q ISIS, to date, / have the honor to state that
as far as this office is advised, the said com.
pany has fully and promptly complied with
oil said requirements.
1t is sufficient to say that up to 1885 the Cen.
trail Pucifc Railway Company had met all its
obligations to the government To my knowl-
edge there has never been a single complaint
on the part of the government of any failure on
the part of the Central Pacific Railroad Com
pany TO comply with every requirement Of the
law.
1would like also that the Investigation should
60 to the extent of ascertainlng what the gov.
eminent has paid out for the transportation of
freghts, troops, and expenditures of every
kind, for transportation, say from 1880 to 1852
the time of the completion of the road, that 1t
fnrfp hop ne tf,,s.
tage the construction OF these roads has been
| 10 the government.
Ishould like TO have a comparison of the
cost of the construction of these roads with
| what might have been the cost at any time
| within period of five years before their COM
mencement or of five years subsequent to their
| completion.
The Central Pacific railroad was commenced
| two years earlier than the Union Pacific. 1t
was commenced in the midst of the war. 1t
| received the bonds of the government at q
| time when they were worth in gold, the money
which was used on the Pacific coast, only 10
cents on the dollar; but on the whole we
averaged, l think, q little over 90 cents, aud
the interest that was piling up against us was
used as credit and money was not then rs
cheap as tits now. We pushed forward at a
time when materials were high. We paid at
one time as high as $50 a ton freight TO get
material out there where the road was to be
built Then for war insurance high rates al.
ways prevailed.
The result was, however, that we gave to the
use of the government the road seven years
earlier than the contract required, for it was
contract under which the railroad company
was organized. The act of Congress required
a contract with the Pacific railroads, which
was made and upheld. We have lived up Il
the contract literally in every respect.
/ should like further to ascertain whethe
there has been legislation calculated to impai
the business and earning capacity of the road
whether by the states or the general govern
ment.
Thispioneer road received the bonds unde
such circumstances, and when they are OF sucl
value as have indicated. II runs through
the poorest country In the United States
Very soon after the road was constructed Con
gress gave to three different railroad CON
panies twice the amount of land through n be-
ter country than was given to the pioneer roa
which was built under such circumstances.
If this road does not earn the money thu
was anticipated, what was the cause of II
Who was disappointed and who are the suife
ers? Other lines oil road have been aided b
Congress through better country to the G!
tent of forty eight sections OF land to the mil
These are circumstances that, 1t seems
r me, ought to be taken into consideration
q considering this matter. To the Central Ps
citlc Railroad Company have done my dul
faithfully, and think 1t will appear that the
a, made fair contracts with others, and at Il
u same time the company always endeaysrt
IT TO take care Of itself
I. lam a little hoarse by reason of cold, or
will say no more, but ask that the amen,
Is ment offer be read by the secretary.
s. The president pro tempore. The propose
y amendment will be read.
The chief clerk. II is is proposed to amer
the amendment of the committee by insertin
Il after the word premises" in line l3O, page
: The commissioners shall also ascertain Il
-, average cost per nnnum of government tran
u poration in the regions now traversed by d
Pacific railroads between the year 1850 and h
completion OF said roads; and also the avera
'u what additional facilities have been furnish
ie TO the government and the people by said roa
,p Also to inquire what discount the Paci
- railroad and Its several branches were fore
to make in disI osiuE OF the bonds guarante
by the government to obtain the gold co
which wasthe currency OF the country throu
De , which the greater part of said roads passC
A. Also TO ascertain the comparative cost of co
struction of said roads rs compared with wh
us they would have cost with the prices of lab
lg and commodities prevailing five years prece
ofsaid roads,
Also to inquire whether or not the Paci
wv railroad was completed in less time than "
,e- allowed by law, and If so how much less tin
and II the United States was benefited theret
a Also to inquire II either of the Pacific Railro
~ Companies have been embarrassed and /
earning capacity impaired by antagonis
local or state legislation. Also to inquire
the United States since the Union and Cent
~. Pacific Railroad Companies accepted I
" terms proposed by Congress for the constru
IS tion of the Pacific railroad, has granted aid
,d land for building competing parallel roads
the said Pacific railroad, and II so. how ma
IS such roads, and TO what extent such compt
ing lines have impaired the earning capac
Of the Pacific railroad
Also to inquire If the United States ha
p contracts with the branch roads controlled
he either OF said Pacific roads for carrying Unit
States mails, and, If so, what service has be
ee performed by them. and what money, If Al
"A mains due and unpaid, and If the Unit
u- States by falling IN pay for said mail sery
has embarrassed said railroad companies
either Of them in paying their indebtedness
gh the United States,
an Also to inquire If The several Pacific railro
~ companies have complied with the 'pIovisiC
W' OF the act Ito alter and amend an act entitl
An act to aid in the construction of railro
and telegraph line from the Missouri river
10 the Pacific ocean, and to secure to the gOveI
o? ment the use OF the same for postal milita
and other purpose, approved July l, lS
- also to alter and amend an act of CongT
oV' approved July 2, 1861, In amendment of
said trst-named act" commonly known
L the Thurman act, ana II not in what partlC
ne lars they have failed TO comply Also TO
Ia branches can severally pay annually on aoco
70 of their Indebtedness to the United Sta
his without imposing such burdens upon the ~
pie and particularly upon the localit